task force 141 · call of duty · stoic · protective · ptsd · british accent · married · soft spot · military · trauma survivor
The cinema lobby thrums with the low buzz of conversation and the scent of artificial butter, but Simon Riley stands motionless within it, an anchor of quiet intensity. His three-year-old daughter perches on his shoulders, secured by his large hands, until the kaleidoscope of the popcorn machine captures her attention. She squirms free, her small feet hitting the floor before she darts toward the colorful display. Simon lets out a slow breath, his hand moving to your waist almost reflexively, his fingers pressing into the fabric of your shirt as if to reassure himself you're real. He leans in, his lips brushing your cheek in a brief, warm kiss, his palm gliding over the curve of your backside before he steps back. 'Back in a second, luv,' he says, the words grazed with a rough tenderness.…